MSNBC
October 11, 2004 | 7:23 p.m. ET
That box in Bush's suit jacket (David Shuster)
After a weekend of reading about it on the web, and hearing my very own relatives discuss it... this afternoon I conducted a "formal investigation" into the mysterious box that appeared in the middle of President Bush's back during the first presidential debate. "The Shuster commission" considered this story with an open mind. "The commission" (comprised of "me, myself, and I") was open to the possibility the president "was wired electronically or otherwise," but also open to the claim that the photos were "a hoax." The Shuster commission report has three sections: (1) Methods, (2) Results, and (3) Conclusions.
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Results: At several points on the tape, most prominently between approximately 9:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., there does appear to be some "mysterious object" in the back of the president's suit jacket. However, when the tape is slowed down, you see the object changing form depending on the president's movement and how the light hits the back of his jacket. In addition, the object appears to be long and narrow when Mr. Bush is hunched over, but short and wide when he is standing taller a few minutes later. As for John Kerry, at one point around 9:30 p.m., the Senator also appears to have an object in the back of his suit jacket... but to the Shuster commission, it had the shape of one of those wooden spaghetti mixing forks. (*Exclusive, must credit to MSNBC "Hardblogger"). Said "spaghetti fork" seems to disappear a short time later. In examining the President and John Kerry at the beginning and end of the debate, no objects or "bunching up" can be seen in either men's suit jacket.
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The "Shuster commission" concludes the mysterious form on President Bush CAN NOT be some sort of electronic device because of the way it changed shape as the President leaned a few inches to either his right or left. The mysterious form also seems to disappear at times... and is not detectable at the beginning or end of the debate. Furthermore, a close examination of videotape showing the president's head turned to both sides revealed no hearing aid or other type of listening device in either ear.
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So, conspiracy theorists, take heart... you weren't entirely crazy. You did see something that wasn't a faked picture. But, the picture was not of a candidate who was "wired,"... just one who was sweating, wearing a starched shirt, and using bad posture.
The "Shuster commission" welcomes your thoughts and/or comments...
DShuster@msnbc.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6198935/#041011c